1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to an electrical connection assembly and, in particular, to electrical receptacles and switches.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connection assemblies such as receptacles for conventional electrical plugs, and switches used to control, for example, room lighting and/or power to one or more outlets of a wall-mounted receptacle, are widely used in industrial and home applications for providing power to a variety of modern day equipment. For example, a two-way, three-way, or four-way, wall-mounted switch may be used in a home to control one or more lights electrically connected to the switch. Similarly, wall-mounted receptacles may have one or more outlets configured to receive, for example, the prongs of a typical electrical plug. Such an electrical plug may be connected to a variety of electrical components such as, for example, televisions, computers, microwave ovens, and toasters, to facilitate providing electrical power thereto.
Such known electrical connection assemblies are typically formed of several parts. For example, a junction box is typically mounted to a wall stud behind, for example, a sheet of drywall. An electrical service wire is then connected to the junction box whereby positive, negative, and ground wires of the electrical service wire are configured to mate with terminals of the switch or receptacle within the junction box. Typical switches and receptacles also include assemblies for receiving the prongs of an electrical plug that are manufactured separate from the terminals and later electrically connected to the terminals via a known linkage. These separate components can be difficult and time consuming to manufacture.
In addition, once the service wires have been connected to the terminals, the switch or receptacle is connected to the junction box by two or more screws. A face plate is then connected to the switch or receptacle as a decorative cover mating with the dry wall. Securing such a face plate to the switch or receptacle after the switch or receptacle is mounted to the junction box, however, adds a step to the installation process, and increases the time, cost, and complexity of installing such known switches or receptacles. For these reasons, manufacturing known devices can be costly and cumbersome. In addition, installing such devices can be time-consuming, particularly in situations where multiple devices are required such as, for example, in wiring a new office building, or in rewiring an existing home or office building.
It is, therefore, an object of the present disclosure to overcome the above difficulties as well as other problems associated with known electrical connection assemblies.